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|title=The Mistress of Paris

|sort= Mistress of Paris

|isbn= 978-1848319264

|website= http://www.andrewlownie.co.uk/authors/catherine-hewitt

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Born into poverty, no-one could have guessed that the girl who would one day be known as Valtesse de la Bigne would achieve greatness. This is the tale of her rise to wealth and power – starting in a dress shop as a thirteen year old, but fast becoming a courtesan who would be fought over by some of the greatest men of her time. Whilst Valtesse was a woman who kept an air of mystery about many details of her life, Catherine Hewitt nevertheless paints an incredible story around the gaps, and this proves to be both a full and intriguing biography, and a fascinating portrait of the time period.

''The Mistress of Paris'' is not just a biography of a fascinating woman, but an in depth look at the France of the 19th century, and of the hugely different levels of society in place, from desperate poverty to lavish wealth. Whilst there are some gaps in the story of Valtesse de la Bigne, the shifting political and social winds that are constantly in the background of her story serve as more than successful diversion until the main strands can be resumed.

{{amazontext|amazon=1848319266}}